<p>I'm a nontraditional student, entering after an Ivy undergrad education with a 3.8 GPA and a masters degree in an unrelated field. I'll need to take my prerequisite courses as a post-bacc, but let's assume I do well in my courses, have good letters of rec, and a good MCAT score. I'm also a female and a member of a minority group. </p>
<p>I'm willing to live anywhere in the US. I'm willing to do a PhD concurrently if that would help me.</p>
<p>I'm not willing to join the military or the national guard.</p>
<p>Is it possible for me to go to medical school for free? How do I find out about scholarship and other opportunities that will pay for my medical school education?</p>
<p>I have friends in this program–might be what you’re looking for: [Home</a> - NHSC](<a href=“http://nhsc.hrsa.gov/]Home”>http://nhsc.hrsa.gov/)</p>
<p>I say this to be informative and not to be judgmental: The MSTP admissions process is largely geared towards ensuring that students in your situation (ones doing the PhD for the free med school) are not admitted.</p>
<p>How is the system set up to prevent people from doing a PhD to get an MD as well? If you are qualified to do PhD research, why or how would they prevent you?</p>
<p>Because there are a limited number of spots for MSTP programs, they can afford to be very selective in who they choose. And since their mission is to train physician-scientists, not just those who want to earn a PhD and split, they will focus on people who can demonstrate that that is what they want to do.</p>
<p>Anyway, you’re in this for the long haul. If you spend more than three (possibly two; haven’t worked out the math completely) years on your PhD (highly likely), no matter what field of medicine you end up specializing in, you will end up losing money.</p>
<p>There are some schools that give merit scholarships. Off the top of my head, these include WUSTL, Mayo, and UChicago.</p>
<p>[NHSC</a> Scholarship Program Application Cycle is Now Open - NHSC](<a href=“http://nhsc.hrsa.gov/scholarships/index.html]NHSC”>Scholarships | NHSC) is an option if you’re interested in primary care and are willing to commit to live in an underserved area.</p>
<p>How is it set up? The questions on the application, the interview process, and the way the committees choose to accept applicants will always choose the person committed to a research oriented medical career over the person “willing to do a PhD” if it means they get to be a doctor.</p>
<p>Why is it set up that way? Because, the NIH views the program as an investment in the future of medical science. A research scientist does not make as much money as a full time doctor, so doing a PhD for the free med school is not actually worth it, but MD/PhDs contribute to research in ways that neither MDs nor PhDs do. The NIH wants MD/PhDs to exist, but without the financial support provided to them during training (i.e. no tuition costs + stipend), it’s simply not financially viable unless the student comes from a wealthy background. Med school tuition is roughly 40k/year, the stipend might be as high as like 30k/year depending on the location, so that right there is $500,000 the NIH is spending on a single student. With that kind of investment, the NIH wants programs to generate scientists that will perform the kind of research the NIH wants to fund (scientific research with direct applications to human health) and not kids whose primary goal is to open up boutique plastic surgery practices in LA or provide primary care in rural areas.</p>
<p>It’s just how this NHSC program is only going to fund kids who want to do primary care in underserved areas and not kids looking to be Park Ave dermatologists. Very few places hand out money without restrictions on how it needs to be used.</p>
<p>I know 2 free Med. Schools - Cleveland Clinic (30 spots) and Mayo Clinic. Apply, see what happens.
D’s Med. School class have lots of students like you, PhD from Harvard, several MS and several lawyers. Not sure if they are paying tuition or not, we are paying full tuition (around 50k/year) and all living expanses.<br>
As far as I know, free Med. School might be very different from regular Med. School. At least, Clevelenad Clinic does not have lectures and does not have exams either. D. mentioned that this would not fit her very well.</p>